The Royal Commission will hold a one-day hearing on May 17, 2021 to examine the approach of the Australian Government and its agencies to the vaccination of people with disability and disability support workers.
In November the Royal Commission presented a report that identified failings by the government in addressing the needs of people with disability during the early stages of the pandemic.
The report made 22 recommendations that included guidelines be drafted, in consultation with bodies including people with disability, explicitly addressing access by people with disability and disability support workers to a Covid-19 vaccine “if and when one becomes available”.
In February, the Commission issued a statement welcoming the release of the ‘Covid-19 vaccine strategy’ and the government’s decision to give priority to disability care residents and disability care staff (Phase 1a) and to younger adults with a disability (Phase 1b).
At the time, Royal Commission chair, Ronald Sackville noted that the Covid-19 vaccine strategy was consistent with its recommendations.
This week the Australian Government announced that it supports, or supports in principle, 21 of the recommendations from the report on Public hearing 5 and notes one recommendation. This included recommendations in the report addressing access to a Covid-19 vaccine by people with disability and disability support workers when one becomes available.
The public will not be able to attend the hearing room, but the hearing will be live streamed on the Royal Commission website.
The Disability Royal Commission will hold an additional day of Public hearing on May 7 at 9am to receive submissions on the key barriers encountered by students with disability trying to access a safe, quality and inclusive education. It will also make submissions as to some findings, recommendations and areas for further investigation that the Commissioners might consider.
A key focus of the evidence at Public hearing on May 7 has been on the experience of students with disability in mainstream schools, while the Commission continues to inquire into the experience of students with disability in other education settings.
A public hearing in October heard evidence from parents of students with disability, disability advocates, health professionals, academic education experts and representatives from the Departments of Education in Queensland and New South Wales.
This additional hearing day will be also be conducted virtually and live streamed on the Royal Commission’s website.